Repeatable timed night light arrangement for a household range



Feb. 14, 1967 w SCHAUER, JR 3,304,405

REPEATABLE TIMED NIGHT LIGHT ARRANGEMENT FOR A HOUSEHOLD RANGE I Filed March 2, 1964 LI N L i L J 2 54 l 1:

OFF v INVENTOR George W Sc/muer, Jr

His Attorney United States Patent 3,304,405 REPEATABLE TIMED NIGHT LIGHT ARRANGE- MENT FOR A HOUSEHOLD RANGE George W. Schauer, Jr., Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 348,660 1 Claim. (Cl. 219396) This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to a circuit arrangement for an electric range whereby the console lamp on said range can be used as a repeating timed night light.

In recent years various protective agencies have suggested that vacationers use a timed light in their home while they are away. The feeling is, apparently, that a light coming on each night in the early evening will discourage attempts to burglarize the home. Domestic ranges now on the market have console lamps and automatic oven controls which, when connected in accordance with the teachings of this invention, can 'be used to provide such a timed night light feature.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a control circuit in combination with a domestic range for energizing the light on said range for a predetermined time interval once a day.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide an electric range having a clock, a lamp, an oven and an auxiliary electrical outlet receptacle with a repeat cycle timer for operating said clock continuously and for preselectably energizing said oven, said lamp and said receptacle in a predeterminable time interval.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a domestic electric range provided with this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a schematic wiring diagram of the invention.

In accordance with this invention with reference to FIGURE 1, an electric range is shown provided with oven 12, a surface cooking top 14, a fluorescent lamp 16 extending across the range for illuminating said cooking top and a power outlet or appliance receptacle 18 which is usable for plugging in auxiliary kitchen appliances. A control panel 20 includes controls 22 for operating the gas burners or electrical units on the cooking top 14 in a conventional manner. In addition, the control panel 20 includes a conventional twelve-hour clock 24, a time interval setting device 26 including a twenty-four-hour clock and the exposed temperature setting knob 40 of an oven thermostat 28. The lamp 16 is adapted to be selectively energized by a single pole, double throw and center off switch 30 manually operable or setta-ble between a timed NIGHT LIGHT position, a continuously ON position and an OFF position. The time interval setting device and the clock 24 are embodied in a combination clock and repeat cycle timer assembly or timer means 32.

Turning now to the wiring diagram of FIGURE 2, the oven 12 is shown to include an electric heater 36 and the temperature sensing bulb 38 of the oven thermostat 28. This thermostat 28, in addition to the control knob 40 on the control panel 20 of the range, includes also cycling switch means 42 and 44 for breaking both sides of the power supply line L L to the heater 36 in response to the preselected temperature sensed in the oven. Thus, the heater 36, the temperature responsive switch means 42, 44 and the associated wiring comprise the heating circuit means.

3,304,405 Patented Feb. 14, 1967 The combination clock and repeat cycle timer means 32 includes switch means in the form of a pair of timed switches 46 and 48 for breaking both sides of the power supply line L L thereby to prevent feedbacks from the heating circuit means. The switches 46 and 48 open and close together in response to control means including a synchronous motor 54 which continuously operate the clock 24 through a speed reduction unit 55, cams 56, 58 which are relatively rotatable to each other and presettable means including an ON indicator 60 and an OFF indicator 62 settable to shift the cams relative to each other in accordance with a desired time interval and positioned on the tWenty-four-hour indicating face of the time interval setting device 26. The ON and OFF indicators are presetta'ble in a conventional manner for a timed oven cooking operation as well as for the timed night light concept of this invention. A follower means 64 is actuated by the cams to open and close the switches 46, 48 in accordance with the preselected time interval. A schematic representation of the timer 32 has been shown since this is essentially a currently available repeat cycle timer of the International Register Company (Time-On, No. A211-4) modified in accordance with this invention. The International Register timer has been modified to drive the twelvehour clock 24 and has been provided with two switches 46, 48 instead of one simply because it is desired to break both sides of the line to the oven heating circuit.

Oven operation is conventional. The user will merely turn the thermostat knob 40 from the OFF position to the desired temperature setting and will then preset the time indicator 60, 62 for the desired cooking time. When the ON time is reached, the cycle timer switches 46, 48 will close and power will flow to the oven heater 36 as follows: from L through conductor 70, cycle timer switch 48, conductor 72, thermostat switch 44 (closed due to the low temperatures in the oven at the start of the cooking operation), the heater 36, thermostat switch 42, line 74, cycle timer switch 46 to the other side of the line L The cooking operation will terminate when the OFF time is reached and the cycle timer switches 46, 48 open.

The auxiliary appliance power outlet receptacle 18 will be energized whenever the timer switch 46 is closed and this is accomplished also in response to the time interval preset by the ON indicator 60 and the OFF indicator 62.

The lighting circuit means is comprised of the fluorescent lamp 16, starter 50, inductive ballast 52, the manual selector switch means 30 and the associated wiring. The lamp 16 may be operated in a conventional manner by moving the switch blade of the switch means 30 to the ON contact 82 whereby the power will be supplied continuously from L through the lamp to N. On the other hand, and in accordance with the teachings of this invention, the operator may adapt the lamp 16 to come on night after night in a predetermined timed cycle in order to indicate occupancy of the house even though the owner may be away. In this instance by moving the switch blade 80 to the timed NIGHT LIGHT contact 84, power flow will be directed from the neutral (N) side of the line through the selector switch 30 and the timer switch 48 to the other side of the line L Then, as predetermined by the positioning of the ON indicator 60 and the OFF indicator 62, the lamp will come on and olf in repeat cycles until the selector switch 30 is again returned to its center OFF position between the contacts 82 and 84.

It should now be seen that a repeat cycle timing arrangement has been provided for a domestic range whereby the automatic cooking timer is effective to operate not only the clock, the oven and the appliance receptacle, but also the electric range lamp in a repeat cycle timed night light function. It should be understood that this invention can be adapted for either an automatic gas or electric range.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

A repeat cycle timed night light arrangement in a domestic electric range having casing means defining an oven having a heating circuit means, lighting circuit means for illuminating the area around the range, and clock means for telling time, said timed light arrange ment comprising timer means for selectively controlling energization of said heating circuit means, and said lighting circuit means in repeat cycles and for operating said clock means continuously, said timer means comprising first switch means adapted to be connected to a power source and in power supply relationship to said heating circuit means and said lighting circuit means and respectively closable and openable to energize and deenergize said heating circuit means and said lighting circuit means, and control means for effecting the closing and opening of said first switch means in a repeat cycle once every twenty-four hours to determine a time interval during which said heating circuit means and said lighting circuit means shall be energized, said control means including means presettable in a manner to determine said time interval, said heating circuit means including a heater for said oven and second switch means thermally responsive to temperatures in said oven and interposed between said first switch means and said heater for selectively conditioning said heater for energization through said first switch means, and said lighting circuit means including a lamp and a third switch means manually operable between a timed night light position interposed between said first switch means and said lamp for selectively conditioning said lamp for energization during said time interval through said first switch means and a continuous light position interposed directly between the power source and said lamp for energizing said lamp continuously.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1903 Portis.

5/1938 D e Ayala 219-492 X 

